hopeful lights / photograph courtesy of cooksgarden.com
Now is the time to plant Chard or ( Swiss chard or Silverbeet as it is called ) . There are many type of chard and I would care to go over a few of them and my experience with them . Chard is a close congeneric of the beet and should be planted in the earth at the same fourth dimension as beets which is now . It will sprout early and will not be harmed by spring Frost . reap the outer leaves first ( commonly in 4 - 6 week ) and go out the centre intact and it will keep growing and supply you with more throughout the summer time of year . It normally does n’t blossom until it ’s second yr - it is a biennial . For that understanding , I replant it every year as it will put more try into flower in it ’s second year and you wo n’t get as many big leaves . One planting will last the entire time of year and it will not ‘ bolt ’ in the estrus of summertime . I pull it up after the time of year as I rather it put all it ’s energy into those big leaf . A corking backup for prickly-seeded spinach which will be gone after spring .
Fordhook chard / photograph courtesy of seedsavers.org
Bright lights/photo courtesy of cooksgarden.com
-The best chard I find to imbed for fall / wintertime is Argentata which is very frigid hardy even in our wintertime temperatures . It can withstand cold temperatures more than many other eccentric of leaf beet . you could get it atJohn SchweepersorGourmetseed . It is a white variety with big red-hot buddy-buddy stem . Both the stems and leaves are delicious .
-Another cracking whitened kind is ‘ Fordhook ’ which is similar to Argentata and can be find atseedsaversexchangealong with Rhubarb Red . you’re able to plant this in the outpouring and enjoy it this summer .
I care 5 - Color Silverbeet , and Bright Lights , for the multi - color varieties . The stem are not as thick and naughty as the white varieties but the colour is to die for and I always plant some among the flowers to add extra colouring material to the garden and they are near to feed as well .
Fordhook chard/photo courtesy of seedsavers.org
Red Charlotte chard / photo good manners of cooksgarden.com
I also like other cherry varieties in addition to Rhubarb Red mentioned above - Magic Red and Red Charlotte can be found atCook ’s Gardens
Try growing all these together and enjoy each one through the summertime season !
Red Charlotte chard/photo courtesy of cooksgarden.com
I care to eat these chopped coarsely and steam clean with a balsamic sauce vinaigrette over them as a vegetable or saute in olive crude and put on alimentary paste with butter along with some poulet and Parmesan cheeseflower . Delicious !
